15 Strikes - You're out
by Balabim12
Summary: It was due to be an evening meal to celebrate the happy couple living in the house spending 20 years happily married… I wouldn't have been contacted if it stayed that way. *** Arthur Kirkland is an investigator and has been in his job for 16 years. A regular house party goes south when one of the land owners is killed. He needs to figure out the case... before he strikes out.
1. The First Evening

Whether I turn out to be the hero or the villain within these pages is all up to how long you decide to continue turning them. But the story begins on a bleak morning in September where the sky was the colour of a television and the channel was disconnected. The guests arrived on time, from what I was informed, and it was to be a calm and orderly event, twelve guests joining the three who lived in the mansion and staying the night till the afternoon the next day. It was due to be an evening meal to celebrate the happy couple living in the house spending 20 years happily married…

I wouldn't have been contacted if it stayed that way.

By 2:00 all the guests were there and gathered in the dining hall. From what I gathered, they were all very important and knew the family in some way or another. And all went well until 5:02 rolled around.

I was contacted 37 minutes following the commotion.

I arrived at the house hole with my jacket strapped to me, no idea what to expect, just given a code red warning that there had been a killing and there were children present. I could tell when I entered the room that none of them knew me personally but a few recognised me from newspapers and such, the looks of shock amongst panic and grief should have been heart breaking to see. But on a heart of diamond lies no scars. I walked past them all and looked at the notes the police had gathered on my way up to the room.

When I walked in I wasn't quite prepared for what I saw.

Atop a bed, still bleeding, eyes that had once been very alive from what I could see were now paling over. I shut them quickly, knowing that I hated that, it made me sick. The rest I was okay with. I looked over the body, and it was definitely a shot to the head that did it. Glancing around the room and picking up all the details I could I was interrupted in my thoughts by a knock, followed by the sound of feet. Turning, I locked eyes with a blue eyed blonde male who shut his eyes tightly as soon as he entered. That's when I knew he was the husband, no need for an interview for that information. His question was simple, and one I had been asked before.

"What do you want us to do?" I sighed slightly at his question and he made eye contact with me when I opened my mouth to speak.

"Get me one of the officers from outside please" I commented and he did as such, quickly and then stood behind the officer to listen to my demands, "As much as I hate to say it, one of the guests has to have done it. Secure all doors and windows, no one is getting in, no one is getting out" I finished, pulling on a pair of latex gloves as I began a closer examination of the body. The next step was to interview one at a time and try to figure out what had happened. This was the body of a brunette male, Feliciano Vargas, a caring individual I had once known in school was now lying as dead as a dormouse on his own bed. I felt extremely sorry for him. "Gather in the dining room" I shouted out, knowing one of the police officers would pass on the ridiculous message as I pulled off the latex.

This was bonkers… But I had to solve it. 14 suspects stood downstairs and amongst them was a murderer.

I wandered down into the living room where so many eyes looked up at me, some filled with grief, some angry, some a mix of both, some confused and one pair, unreadable. I glanced around at my selection of suspects, all of them looked incredibly rich but it was which one would resort to murder. I sighed, knowing they all awaited my words.

"You're all on shut down" were my first ones. They all exchanged glances apart from three of them, two eastern world CEOs by the looks of things and one European, "Because amongst you is a murderer" Gasps echoed as the young girl held back very visible tears, "I hate to say it but the bullet hole goes directly through the mattress. Unless we can find another hole, it's a safe bet to say Feliciano was pushed into the mattress before being shot" I sighed.

"How do you have the nerve?!" I glanced over at a lady with long brown hair, the only lady in the room.

"I'm sorry Ma'am would you please explain what you mean?" I asked politely.

"I mean that there is a child in the room who has just lost her father and you have the gall to explain how it is he was killed? People like you make me sick" She spat venomously.

"Investigators make you sick?" I asked, curiously, "Well how odd. You know, I could easily just leave with you thinking of the fact that one of you around here killed the person you care about so deeply" I commented, exchanging eye contact, "I chose to be here because I am called to work when the police know they can't solve the case alone and if you have any issues with how I deal with a case then you are free to bring them up in the interviews I will be conducting but mark my words miss…"

"Elizabeta Héderváry" She filled in for me, in slight shock from how calm I was.

"Miss Elizabera, mark my words when I say I never give up until I have solved the case. So, if you don't mind I would appreciate it if you get off my ass about it and give me a reason you're not suspicious, and don't just say I didn't do it, after 16 years on this job it gets very dull…" I said, crossing my arms not breaking eye contact.

"I cannot" She responded.

"Exactly" was my response, staring her in the eyes and finding a slight fear. This was the time I started picking out the likelihood of suspects.

I sincerely doubted the husband and the daughter, the pain the young girl was in plus the accuracy of the shot meant she was immediately out of the picture. The husband seemed to want to be sick at the sight of blood so I doubted he would be a suspect. Everyone else was on the suspect list, it was just who was more likely.

"I'll take Ludwig out first if you don't mind…" I commented sternly as he looked up at me, picking up his daughter and passing her over to a blonde male in a white hat who looked almost as serious as he did. The tall male walked over to me and I took him out, heading through to the dining room across the massive entrance way where I sat down at the head, pulling out a pen and paper and inviting him to sit down next to me where he took it and put his head in his hands, "I apologise for what I am about to ask but it is simply policy" I commented quietly, "Remember that all words you use could be used against you" He glanced up at me with tearful eyes and I felt a wash of guilt wash over me before I even asked; "Did you do it?" He looked completely appalled at the question I asked.

"Why would I do it?" He asked me, wiping harshly at his eyes, "I care about him, with my whole heart. I've loved him for 25 years…"

"I know, I'm so very sorry for asking, it's simply something I have to" I told him as I took a note with my right hand without even looking, a skill I had developed to perfection and used brilliantly for the past 7 years, "Do you know who did it?"

"If I did I promise I would tell you" He said, sighing before looking me in the eyes and, I knew I would have a serious conversation with him.

"Was there any suspicious behaviour or is there anyone you suspect?" I asked him after taking down his promise with my notebook, looking at him calmly as I tried to keep calm as I knew he was. He looked on the verge of breaking down.

"The only behaviour that seemed at all hostile towards Feli during the day was early on in the evening, meaning there was a tension throughout the night. Lovino seemed rather upset about something Feliciano had done, I was unsure if it was just regular Lovino though, he is a very angry person. I did not suspect anyone else of very much else. Yao seemed to be in a bad mood with everyone tonight, though he seems to develop a bad mood when something bad is about to happen so maybe he sensed something, might have just been chance" I took note of the important words and put in my mind the two people he suspected. Lovino and Yao. How strange.

"Thank you very much Ludwig, can I ask for your full name as confirmation?" I asked him calmly.

"Ludwig Beilschmidt-Vargas" He said in response sighing. I stood up with him.

"I am extremely sorry for your loss Sir, please be with your daughter for now" I smiled.

"My daughter comes first Inspector, however I must know what happened to Feliciano" He told me and I took another note of this mentally. How interesting, so a very family and business orientated man I sense. We both walked through again and entered the same atmosphere.

"Please go and do something everyone, I cannot stress how important it is that you do not sit here and drive yourself crazy" I told them all calmly once again and everyone began glancing amongst each other as some people walked out the door beside me, "Which one of you is Yao?" An eastern looking man in a red outfit raised his hand half-heartedly. He looked stripped of emotion like a winter tree but the eyes spoke of non-verbal anger and grief, "I'll take you next"

We walked towards the room and I noticed his calm posture. He seemed pretty certain about something. He took the same seat as Ludwig and sat very properly, with a straight back and his legs together like a woman. He kept his serious face on as he stared at me.

"I'm going to say the same thing I did to Ludwig, what I am about to ask is simply policy so I apologise if anything offends you at all, what you say can be used against you." He nodded in understanding, "Did you do it?" I asked again, clicking my pen.

"I didn't do it, I can tell you that much, Aru" He said, and I noticed a small lilt to his voice that was slightly sad.

"I understand this might be hard on the mind" I said sadly in response as I looked at his brown eyes that only had trickles of life in them, "Do you know who did it?" I continued on, looking him in the eyes as he stared back.

"I'm sorry I don't know anything, I wish I did though, I should have known something would have happened today, even my boyfriend's been getting on my nerves…" I listened to his odd comments.

"Who's your boyfriend sir?" I asked him, continuing to take notes as he continued, "At the same time as you answer that, could you tell me who you suspect?" He nodded.

"My boyfriend is Kiku Honda, the other Asian in the room" His comment made me frown slightly. They just call themselves Asians? Okay well whatever floats your boat I suppose, "I don't suspect him, he's too innocent to do such a thing. Kiku is respectful and is rarely in a bad mood. I am not sure as to who I suspect, Aru, but I know that it would not be Roderich or Matthew" I waited for his reasoning and he gave it to me, "At the time of it happening, me, Roderich and Matthew were in the Living room having a conversation and a drink. We heard the gun shot a short while after" I nodded at these words.

"Could you please give me your full name?" I asked him calmly, taking in these facts. So Ludwig suspected Yao even though he does have a solid alibi. Lovino is next on my list but I'll need to speak to Roderich or Matthew for confirmation of this.

"Wang, Yao" He told me, "I hope you figure this out Investigator, Feliciano was the light that connected us all, without him a lot of things will fall apart". He said before standing.

"I understand sir, please head through to one of the rooms and calm down, I recommend drinking tea" I responded and he nodded with a soft smile before exiting. I took a note of the words he said about Feliciano before moving through to the officers in the hall, "Go and get Lovino please" I told one of them and they nodded heading off as I took a seat back down in my chair, flicking to the next page in my notebook and clicking on my pen as the door opened and slammed behind an individual that looked very similar to the victim. He wasn't giving the best start.

"What the fuck am I doing here?" He asked me. Aggressively.

"I'll be asking the questions around here" I stared at him with a frown as he took a seat. I suddenly understood Ludwig's comment about Lovino being a very angry person, "What you say can be used against you" I growled as he stared at me with an almost permanent frown, "What were you doing at the time Feliciano was killed?"

"I was with Antonio in the kitchen" He answered, short and snappy. He's not pulling this together but this Antonio will answer the question for me later.

"And do you know who did it?" I asked him.

"Would I be here if I fucking knew?" He asked me, folding his arms across his chest and leaning back in his chair. His eyes were glistening, it was like he was putting on a mask of anger to hide the fact he was deeply upset and suddenly I felt pitiful for him.

"Do you have any susp-" I was cut off by a sudden rather girly yell and both me and Lovino stood up. We weren't the first to arrive, a few others were there and we arrived in front of the music room where the yell was heard at the same time as the other eastern male, who I assumed was mister Honda that Yao had mentioned. I pushed through to see a brunette man wearing glasses, shaking, staring at the piano.

"Keep Honda out of the room…" I muttered to one of the officers who had arrived. Whomever was doing this was killing everyone off one by one. I slipped across to the piano where someone had obviously been playing… That wouldn't be happening again any time soon. Yao was off my suspects list to say the least… Yao was dead.

 _ **So my sweet little detective, seems you're about to take part in a very interesting game and I hope you enjoy. One has been shot, another stabbed while you were there and your two main suspects have been proven to not have killed one of them. Of course, they could have killed Feliciano, however I suggest you get these interviews done fast. The next murder is being planned already… And I wish you luck in your game**_

 _ **Xxx**_


	2. The Rise and Fall

The quivering figure on the floor was being supported by the angry lady from before. I walked over to the piano as officers stopped others coming in and shut the door so it was only me, the dead body and the pair in the room.

"Why have you shut us in here with you?" The lady asked, angrily. This lady, I don't think she quite understands my job, they were in the room when I arrived and are prime suspects. I sighed and completely ignored her, looking at the body. He looked like he was mid scream and on the table there were a few scratch marks making an odd shape. He's eastern so maybe it means something. Taking the latex gloves out of my pocket once again I took a look in further detail into the body. Knowing full well one of the members of the police would probably give me into trouble for it, I pulled the knife that was stabbed deep into Yao's back out. I scanned it. Sterling silver, good quality, looks like it would be used for cutting vegetables normally. I'd have to question Ludwig as to what it was usually used for, though it may bring up a memory that triggered him.

"Call in Honda" I told the woman, "I need to speak to this gentleman and need his advice. Give him a warning though". She sighed and nodded, knowing she had no choice in the matter and walking from the room. I crouched down next to the gentleman, throwing my latex gloves to the side, "Did you do this?" I asked. He looked appalled at me and shook his head. I felt terrible for asking him, he looked destroyed, "Do you know who did?" He one again shook his head and pulled his knees up close to his chest. "Do you suspect anyone" He shook his head again. This poor man must have only just walked back in the room, "What were you doing?" I decided to ask. Then he opened his mouth and the accent that accompanied the voice was a thick Austrian and higher pitched than I had first expected.

"I went into this room to try and relax since playing piano lets me express emotions" He began, his voice almost as shaky as he was, "I exited around the same time Yao went in, he said he needed somewhere to pace and I informed him I would be returning in a moment with some sheet music from my bag" he turned his head slightly to the right on the floor and I followed his sight to see him looking at a pile of sheet music on the floor, "When I came back to the room, the door looked as though it had been opened recently, and so I thought Yao had just opened it" Tears started sliding down his cheeks so I wiped them off for him, knowing he was in a lot of distress currently. For someone who is not accustomed to it, a murder is a lot to take in, "I opened the door further without a second thought and found him like…" He gulped, "that. I don't know who was in the kitchen at the time, I suppose they would be your biggest suspects" I nodded at his words, having been taking this down mentally and I now pulled my note book out and quickly scribbled down the important bits.

"Do you mind giving me your full name? I know this is a lot to take in" I commented.

"Roderich, Roderich Edelstein" The person Yao mentioned was having a conversation with earlier. I could simply ask him now.

"Do you mind telling me where you were at the time Feliciano was murdered, I would like to prove an innocence here" I smiled calmly, placing a hand on his shoulder and he nodded.

"I was with Yao and Matthew in the Living Room when we heard the gun fire" An identical alibi, this proves truth; Yao, Matthew and Roderich can be taken off the list of suspects as to who killed Feliciano however Matthew and Roderich are still suspects for Yao's murder, though Roderich a lot less now. It was at this point three people walked into the room, The woman; Elizabeta I believe; the eastern male; mister Honda, and a blonde gentleman wearing glasses to frame glistening blue eyes. Kiku turned as white as a sheet, alongside the man with him as the woman re-joined Roderich.

"Might I ask your position here?" I said directly to the blonde gentleman whose response came in an American accent.

"I'm sorry dude but, as Kiku's best friend, I think he needs support right now" He said as if it was a matter of fact. So that's their relationship. Kiku looked on the verge of tears as he looked at Yao and I didn't blame him when he started tearing up.

"I'm sorry Mr Honda but it's necessary you're here. Do you understand all Asian languages?" He nodded in response as a tear fell down his cheek, unreadable brown eyes like full tea cups looked back at me, "Is this a symbol in one of them?" I said, pointing to the scratches next to Yao's fingers.

"Y-yes" he muttered quietly as he approached and at the same time tried to stay away from it.

"Would you like me to take a photo of the symbol, would that make it easier?" he nodded in response and took a few steps back towards the American male as I took a photograph of the symbol and kept the parts of Yao's body out of shot. The first was simple, two lines, a longer one on the bottom than the top, parallel to each other. The others I could not hope to describe. I gave it to him and he looked at it.

"It's Japanese sir, I think he knew you would ask me so made it easy" I smiled slightly, seems Yao thought of everything on his death bed, "It says 'Ni Sutoraiku' which means 'Two Strikes'?" Kiku frowned when the blonde's eyes went wide.

"Sir, are you alright?" I asked him and all eyes turned to him.

"Is it not obvious detective?" The blonde asked me directly looking back at the body then at the photo, as white as a ghost, "Whoever is doing this plans on taking everyone out. Think about it, Feliciano shows up dead and, one mere hour later, another shows up dead in another room, isn't that a little suspicious that the message is 'two strikes'?" He asked me. This was kind of suspicious. How did he recognise all of this?

"How do you know all of this?" I asked him calmly, so I wouldn't show how suspicious he was making me feel.

"I worked as a detective myself sir, five years a military one before I went on to actual doing the fighting bit myself, doing the best I can to serve my country" He commented. This made sense, it also adds up as to why he didn't tear up and stayed as stiff as a board. He had seen someone killed before and had a heart as solid as my own.

"It's true sir, that is his position" Kiku commented and I nodded in gratitude of his confirmation. Maybe this gentleman was right.

"To both of you" I said, pulling out my notebook, "Did you do it?" Both looked at each other in shock.

"No way! Yao was amazing and a brilliant ally, why would I do that?!" the blonde male shouted.

"I loved Yao, sincerely cared about him, why would I-?" He seemed to want to continue and instead found himself choking on his own tears.

"I am extremely sorry, it's just policy" I sighed shaking my head. By the look on the American's face he immediately understood, "Do you know who did it?" Both shook their heads, "Do you have any suspicions as to who did it?"

"No sir" Kiku replied, wiping his eyes.

"What kind of knife was he stabbed with? Was it ornamental or kitchen?" The blonde asked. I answered all I could about the knife, "Gilbert Beilschmidt, Ludwig's older brother was in the kitchen simply milling around at a point I went to go and grab a drink of water and try to help clear myself up. He might be one to question"

"I can't stand that boy. I never have been able to" I continued to take notes as to woman spoke up, "He struts around like he owns his brother's mansion. But would he kill someone?" She asked the blonde male.

"Who knows? He's the only person I personally saw in the kitchen" He spoke, "I just tell what I've seen"

"Thank you, and your names in full please?" I asked.

"Honda Kiku" The Japanese man asked as he wiped his eyes with a handkerchief he had found in his pocket.

"Alfred F. Jones – I understand you'll question what the F stands for but I don't know either so I'll just have to joke and say it stands for freedom" The American – Alfred – Commented as I smirked at the words.

"I understand this will be a time for grief but don't stay in here long, it will not do your mental health any good" I told them with a sigh. Standing up and exiting the room I thought back on the strange people I had met within the household in a matter of hours, more interesting than anyone I had ever met in many other previous cases. A mansion owner whose husband has just been murdered who seems completely new to emotion; An older brother who seems to have some kind of anger issue; A Chinese, now dead, man who holds himself higher than others but can still hold morals and respect; An army detective from the United States with a heart of steel and a brain as sharp as a tac yet an innocent demeanour and a good moral background; An Austrian Musician who has just been shaken more than in any other time in his life; A… Hungarian? Who seems, at least to me, like she could fly off the handle at any moment; and A Japanese man with connections within the USA and a love connection to a man from another Asian countr-. Hold on…

" _I loved Yao, sincerely cared about him_ "

 _"even my boyfriend's been getting on my nerves… he's too innocent to do such a thing. Kiku is respectful and is rarely in a bad mood."_

This love connection is deeper than I originally thought… Yao has been mad throughout the day and he says that Kiku is regularly in a bad mood. Is there any chance that this may change because of Yao disappearing?... Thinking more deeply into it I paused, taking out my notebook. I needed to investigate Gilbert Beilschmidt, before anyone else was killed. Striding towards the kitchen I find within it Roderich and Elizabeta, understanding that they probably wanted away from the corpse. Behind them stood Gilbert, staring at Roderich's back as if in deep thought. He hasn't moved from the kitchen?

"Gilbert Beilschmidt?" I ask aloud and all heads turn to me before Elizabeta and Roderich look round to Gilbert as I stand in the doorway, "I'd like to take you in for questioning" I muttered. He nodded, picking up a glass of water from a counter in the kitchen. We walked into the dining room and I sat down in the same chair I had the past three interviews. He took a seat directly next to me, sitting the water down before he sat.

"I'm going to say the same thing I did to Ludwig and all of the others before you, what I am about to ask is simply policy so I apologise if anything offends you at all, what you say can be used against you" I say, almost as if it is a robot controlling what I say, it's always the same thing. He nods curtly. His red eyes are not the first pair of oddly coloured eyes I have seen in my life time but they are certainly among the strangest, "Did you kill Feliciano Vargas?" I ask firstly.

"Why would I kill my bruder-in-law?" He asked, his eyes narrowing, "I got on with him sometimes better than I got on with my own bruder. I had no motive of which to kill Feliciano, so I have my ultimate reasons to say no" Hmm… An Alibi, yes, but does he protest _too_ much, I think to myself as I nod.

"Did you kill Yao Wang?" I then follow up, "I have an insight that says you were in the kitchen before he was killed, where the knife came from, so I have strong reason to be suspicious"

"I would ask who told you that but I would never get an answer out of you anyway, detectives work on a confidential basis correct?" I nod at his question, "Well, I didn't kill Yao Wang but your source was correct, I was in the kitchen before his killing, however I was simply looking for a way to calm down, relax a bit. Social interactions are, uh, not my strong point" The laugh he followed it up with was unlike anything I had ever heard in my entire life and took my off my guard a little bit, "So I took to solitude in the kitchen, reminiscing… Feliciano and bruder and their happy relationship and what could have happened to make someone do this to them. I don't understand it Mr Kirkland, I sincerely do not" The albino man sighed and suddenly I was happy with taking him out, the man did seem innocent, but it seemed that he, unlike a lot of the people in this household just now, had a mind that truly thought.

"Yes, I understand" I murmur, nodding, "I only have a few more questions for you Gilbert, I promise I won't hold you… The first two are compulsory, the others are simple curiosity" He nodded, looking up at me again, "Do you know who did it?" He shook his head solemnly, which left me thinking that this awful catastrophe seemed to have the biggest impact on Ludwig and Gilbert so far… How strange. "Is there anything you suspect?" I ask calmly.

"If I were you I would take the swiss in for questioning" The swiss? "The godfather of Ludwig and Feliciano's child, he was given because he's a priest and he's supposed to be against killing, but I'm not sure, I have never fully trusted him. Something just seems… incredibly off to me." I nod my head. So, he's found this guy suspicious for a while huh? Well, no offence Mr Beilschmidt I find _you_ off…

"The final question I have for you Gilbert, if you don't mind, is I must ask about the relationship between you, Ms Elizabeta and Mr Roderich" I comment and he seems to stiffen up like a board.

"I used to be in a strong friendship with Roderich…" He commented, "But, I don't think Elizabeta has ever really liked me at all. When her and Roderich married…" What. "…Well, I lost touch with Roderich, it was as though she wanted to pull him away from me. I haven't really gained that back"

 _"I can't stand that boy. I never have been able to… But would he kill someone?"_

I found within that moment that Elizabeta's words rung like drums in my ears. It was an excellent question. Would he? I thanked him for the information and told him to go ahead and leave. He picked up the glass and left.

I stood up and walked out of the dining room and directly into the living room where Ludwig sat, his little girl between his legs and holding her close as she wept. The blonde swiss male, white hat still adorned, stood on the other side of the room. "Excuse me" I state. All three looked at me, "Might I take you in for questioning?" I asked the blonde who simply gave a curt nod and began to follow me. He could be identified as a priest as Gilbert had said, holding himself respectfully and lips consistently moving in some form of prayer, silent.

The loud bang from through the house was not a good sign, especially not when a yell echoed off the walls right afterwards. I raced through the house, my new suspect suddenly off my list for this one. This whole escapade was getting ridiculous. I dashed through. No sign of blood this time, just Gilbert Beilschmidt on the floor, whiter than I had ever seen him previously to this. I ran over to him. His heart was not beating, he was not breathing. I immediately tried CPR, but I knew deep down there was no saving him. I gave up after a while. I looked to the smashed empty glass on the floor, a small piece of white paper in it.

 _Drei Schlag_

I simply had to guess… Three strikes. Seemed Alfred had been right this time, whoever was doing this among my suspects was now taunting me with these deaths, counting them off one by one until they reached me. It was only now I realised the dreadful mess I had gotten myself into, surrounded by sobbing friends and family. What was it now, that I could possibly do to help them other than solve this case fast enough to stop another killing?

 ** _Sorry my precious little penny but it won't be that easy. Shooting, stabbing, poisoning, I can do it all, right under your sweet little nose. Why don't we have a little fun with thi ~_**

 ** _Stay sweet, and have fun with this little game because, as much as you say that this is such a_** ** _horrific_** ** _thing to go through… You're enjoying this, aren't you? ~_**

 ** _Good Luck_**

\- **_xxx_**


End file.
